Ideas for locations:
We have six proposed sites for our settlements as indicated by the green highlighted parts on the above map.
Reasoning:
1. Seeing as how the Western most part of the Island experiences the most wind and rain it seemed prudent to only have one settlement facing a potential need for more weather resistant housing materials and crops. This proposed site is close to a river so they have access to fresh water, and located just above a layer of dense tropical trees. These trees should provide the settlement with some shelter while simultaneously allowing access to the fruits and materials the trees could potentially provide. If the Island settlements are allowed to import materials for infrastructure it would be ideally located to manage a 'wind farm' type set up as they would have access to the high winds as they cross the summit of the volcano. This is all academic until we discover the resources that will be at our disposal.
2. The settlement at C4 was chosen primarily for its location at the mouth of a long river. The purpose of this is to have another settlement at the river estuary, B7 that will allow the settlements to share materials easily between them by utilising the river system. Countries like the Netherlands and Holland have used man made canal systems to transport goods using boats for many years but prior to these advancements they used horses to pull barges laden with goods up and down rivers. As the settlement at B7 has close access to a deep bay they will potentially be able to accept incoming ships with goods, failing that they will definitely have access to the schools of fish that swim just off the island. Similarly they will have access to the coconut palms that grow along the beach which provide a good source of fruit and materials. The settlement at the other end of the river will not have this advantage but will have access to dense tropical trees and woodland trees. Initially some of these trees will need to be felled to make way for the settlement but they will not go to waste, the excess can be transported downstream to the settlement at B7 where initially there are no suitable trees for building shelters. Again, if we have access to offshore materials, this will not be strictly necessary but the river will still provide ideal access across land.
3. With the exception of C4 all settlements offer relatively easy access to the coast and could provide labour for any fishing industry that maybe developed. The settlements located at B7, C4,C9 and C5 all offer easy acsess to the large expanse of relatively flat scrub lands at the eastern end of the island. This large expanse of land extends right across the width of the island from north to south and takes up more than half of the islands total land mass. This area will be ideal for cropping and the settlements will provide a ready labour force. Clearing of these areas should be relatively easy given they are covered in scrub and low brush.There will be no need to impact on tropical forested areas for food crops.
AGRICULTURAL SCIENTIST NOTES:
Our recommendations about food production represent a shift away from current unsustainable practices used in most western nations. The possibility of using the swamp for sanitary and/or rice crops is a environmentally friendly approach. Bringing in cattle could destroy the land if kept in one place all the time. Moving cattle around to allow regrowth of grass would be essential to the preservation of the island.
Whilst all settlements will do their own fishing for their own resources, perhaps only having one settlement trading fish would be beneficial. This would limit the amount of fishing done.
In regard to crops, there are plenty of crops already on the island. Regrowing these is essential. Researching the possibility of layering crops would mean less land would be used for growing crops.
Due to the amount of rainfall on the isalnd, putting water catchments in locations with the highest rainfall would be far more sustainable then a desalination plant.
We have six proposed sites for our settlements as indicated by the green highlighted parts on the above map.
Reasoning:
1. Seeing as how the Western most part of the Island experiences the most wind and rain it seemed prudent to only have one settlement facing a potential need for more weather resistant housing materials and crops. This proposed site is close to a river so they have access to fresh water, and located just above a layer of dense tropical trees. These trees should provide the settlement with some shelter while simultaneously allowing access to the fruits and materials the trees could potentially provide. If the Island settlements are allowed to import materials for infrastructure it would be ideally located to manage a 'wind farm' type set up as they would have access to the high winds as they cross the summit of the volcano. This is all academic until we discover the resources that will be at our disposal.
2. The settlement at C4 was chosen primarily for its location at the mouth of a long river. The purpose of this is to have another settlement at the river estuary, B7 that will allow the settlements to share materials easily between them by utilising the river system. Countries like the Netherlands and Holland have used man made canal systems to transport goods using boats for many years but prior to these advancements they used horses to pull barges laden with goods up and down rivers. As the settlement at B7 has close access to a deep bay they will potentially be able to accept incoming ships with goods, failing that they will definitely have access to the schools of fish that swim just off the island. Similarly they will have access to the coconut palms that grow along the beach which provide a good source of fruit and materials. The settlement at the other end of the river will not have this advantage but will have access to dense tropical trees and woodland trees. Initially some of these trees will need to be felled to make way for the settlement but they will not go to waste, the excess can be transported downstream to the settlement at B7 where initially there are no suitable trees for building shelters. Again, if we have access to offshore materials, this will not be strictly necessary but the river will still provide ideal access across land.
3. With the exception of C4 all settlements offer relatively easy access to the coast and could provide labour for any fishing industry that maybe developed. The settlements located at B7, C4,C9 and C5 all offer easy acsess to the large expanse of relatively flat scrub lands at the eastern end of the island. This large expanse of land extends right across the width of the island from north to south and takes up more than half of the islands total land mass. This area will be ideal for cropping and the settlements will provide a ready labour force. Clearing of these areas should be relatively easy given they are covered in scrub and low brush.There will be no need to impact on tropical forested areas for food crops.
AGRICULTURAL SCIENTIST NOTES:
Our recommendations about food production represent a shift away from current unsustainable practices used in most western nations. The possibility of using the swamp for sanitary and/or rice crops is a environmentally friendly approach. Bringing in cattle could destroy the land if kept in one place all the time. Moving cattle around to allow regrowth of grass would be essential to the preservation of the island.
Whilst all settlements will do their own fishing for their own resources, perhaps only having one settlement trading fish would be beneficial. This would limit the amount of fishing done.
In regard to crops, there are plenty of crops already on the island. Regrowing these is essential. Researching the possibility of layering crops would mean less land would be used for growing crops.
Due to the amount of rainfall on the isalnd, putting water catchments in locations with the highest rainfall would be far more sustainable then a desalination plant.